Improvement in burglar-alarms



W. H. REIT-F.

.BURGLAR-ALARM.

Patented Sept. 4,1877.

itmsszs A. I .7. Q? f w? NITED STATEs i w HALF HIS RIGHT TO E. V.MACHETTE, OF SAME PLACE.

'IMPROVEMENT'IN BU R GLAR-ALARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l94l,0, dated September4, 1877 application filed July 30, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. REIEF, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Burglar-Alarms, which improvement is fully set forth inthe following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a side elevation of the alarm embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3are views of opposite faces thereof. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinalsection thereof in line as w, Fig.2. Figs. 5 and 6 are side views,showing the operation thereof. Fig. 7 is a view of a detached portion.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

My invention relates to a burglar-alarm in which a percussion cap orcartridge will be snapped or exploded by a hammer released by theopening of the door, shutter, 860., or other place of application of thealarm.

The invention consists of a hammer pivoted to the stock and connected bya bar to a spring in such a manner as to impart quick and powerfulmovements to the hammer, whereby the cap or cartridge will beimmediately struck and unfailingly exploded.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a stock, having at one side orend a screw, a, for attachment to the place of service of the alarm, anda nipple or seat, b, for holding a percussion cap or cartridge.

B represents a hammer, which is pivoted to the stock A in such manner asto strike the cap or cartridge placed on the nipple or seat b, and inthe stock at the portion adjacent to the axial end of the hammer thereis an opening, d, through which is passed a bar, 0, one end of which ispivoted to the axial end of the hammer B eccentric to the axis thereof,and the other end is connected to a spring, D, which bears against thestock A on the side opposite to the hammer, whereby the power of thespring will be exerted on the hammer, said side of the stock beingcurved or depressed to allow the entrance or play of the spring whencompressed or contracted.

It will be seen that the spring will be held against the stock by theconnection of the bar 0, so that it requires no other means offastening, and that the bar is secured to the spring at or about thecrown thereof, whereby the spring will exert its entire power on thehammer, and it positively draws in or pulls down the hammer against thecap or cartridge without liability of slipping or disengaging.

The operation is as follows: The stock will be properly secured to theframe of the door, shutter, or other place of service of the alarm, thehammer thrown up or set, and the stock properly loaded, the hammer beingin such position that it will be struck by the opening door or shutter.

In the movement of the hammer it-carries with it the bar 0, whereby thespring D will be compressedor contracted; and as the hammer has passedits center, it will remain set,

the power of the spring being temporarily overcome.

As soon as attempts are made to enter the apartment protected by thealarm the moving door or shutter will come in contact with the.

hammer, and force it from its set position toward its normal posit-ion,which is shut or closed, and when the center is passed the spring Dfully exerts its power, causing the hammer to fly quickly and powerfullyagainst the cap or cartridge, which latter is thus unfailingly explodedand the alarm sounded, the efi'ects' of which are evident.

In some places the stock cannot be screwed, or securely screwed, to theframe of the door or shutter, or elsewhere, and permit the setting ofthe hammer in order that it may be duly struck. in this case the freeend of the hammer requires to be inserted in the crevice of the door,shutter, or elsewhere. For this purpose I fit in an opening of the stocka rod or pin, E, against the outer end of which the hammer, partlyopened, will come in contact,

said rod or pin being removed when not in use.

The ends of the rod or pin and the hammer, as in Fig. 6, are now forcedinto the desired crevice, whereby the hammer is set and controlled, andthe device properly held.

As soon as the door or shutter is opened the hammer and rod are releasedfrom the crevice, and the hammer, now again controlled by the spring D,flies shut, and the alarm will be sounded.

The device may be readily carried and applied, it occupies but littlespace, and may be constructed simple, strong, and cheap.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- l. The stock A with opening d, incombination with bar 0 passed through said opening, and connected at oneend to the spring D and at the other end to the axial end of the hammerB, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. The stock A, in combination with the hammer B and spring D, onopposite sides thereof, and with the bar 0 passed through the stock andconnecting said hammer and spring, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

WM. H. REIFF.

, Witnesses:

J GEN A. WIEDERSHEIM, H. E. HINDMABSH.

